Stretching and drying apparatus



April 21, 1925.

R. v. LYON STRETCHING AND DRYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 30, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet l April 21, 1925.

R. V. LYO N STRETCHING AND DRYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 30, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiz a ar April 21, 1925.

R. V. LYON STRETCHING AND DRYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 30, 1921- 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 STRETCHING AND DRYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 30, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UNITE-D sTAr Es arem OFFICE.

BOBEBT VALENTINE LYON, OB BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

sran'rcnme AND Davina nrmnawus.

Application filed September 80, 1921. Serial ll'o. 504,816.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT VALENTINE LYON, a citizen of'the United States of America, and aresident of the city of Buffalo, county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Stretching and Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

My invention relates generally to stretching and drying devices and more particularly to that type of device by which fabrics such as curtains and blankets may be stretched and dried.

My device is particularly designed for use in laundries where a large number of long or double blankets, long curtains or other long fabrics are stretched and dried.

This invention is an improvement upon that made by me as shown and described in 'United States Letters Patent No. 1,285,-

274, patented November 19, 1918.

The chief object of this invention is to provide an apparatus so constructed that fabrics longer than the apparatus can be conveniently stretched and dried in a true rectangular shape to a degree equal to substantially the initial size of the-fabric.

The drying capacity of the invention described in the above identified Letters Patent was limited to a size of fabric which was no longer than the length of the apparatus and this limitation resulted in the inability of the operator to properly stretch and dry fabrics longer than the apparatus. The invention herein described overcomes this difficulty'and provides an apparatus the drying capacity of which is commensurate with the ability of the operator to apply the fabrics to the exposed holding device, thereby enabling the operator to work at the apparatus and continuously replace the finished dried fabrics upon the holding devicewith other fabrics to be stretched and dried as rapidly as the holding device comes around to the loading position, regardless of the length of the fabric to be stretched and dried.

Other objects and advantages of the apparatus will be apparent to those skilled in any suitable source.

the art and \will appear from the following descriptlon.

In the drawings which represent one embodiment of the invention:

, Fig. 1 is a plan view. 1

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken on l1ne 2-2 of Fig. 1.

F'g. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, plan view of one of the fabric holding devices.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional elevation of the fabric holding device, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlar ed, fragmentary, plan view of an auxiliary olding device.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings, an outer casingi 10ers provided, which preferably has a I lower portion 11 arranged below the floor 12. The floor is arranged a distance from the top of the outer casing so that a work-, man may conveniently attachand detach the fabrics to the device.

Within the lower portion of the outer casing is arranged a suitable heating means, which preferably comprises steam heating coils 13, which are supplied with steam from So as to increase the circulatlon of air within the casing, 1 provide a fan 14, which is arranged to revolve in a horizontal plane and to force air up through the steam heating coils 13. This fan is mounted upon a shaft 15, which is journaled at its upper end in a. bracket 16 and at its lower end in a bearing 17. The bracket 16 is carried by a cross rod 18, fastened preferably to the side walls of the outer casing, and the bearing 17 is supports ed by the bottom 19 of the casing. A pulley 20 is preferably provided for driving the fan. Mounted within the u per part of the casing 10 is a supporting frame 24. This frame. is provided with a shaft 25, which passes through the end Walls of the outer casing and is mounted in suitable bearing standards 26, whereby the supporting frame may be rotated. The supporting frame is polygonal in cross-section'and. as shown in the drawings, is preferably made triangular. The frame is so mounted within the end of the device is laterally arranged a outer casing that one of its sides will lie flush with the upper edge of the casing. The openings 27 between the side walls of the casing and the supporting frame are preferably closed by means of fabric flaps 28 which are secured to the upper edge of the outer casing and overlap the adjacent edges of the supporting frame. latch 29 is secured to each of the upper side edges of the casing, and is pivotally mounted so that it may be swung over on top of the upper exposed edge of the supporting frame and serve thereby to retain the frame in a fixed position while a fabric is being attached to or detached from the exposed holding device.

On each of the peripheral surfaces of the supporting frame 24, I provide a fabric holding device 30. Each of these devices comprises a frame formed by longitudinally extending angle irons 31 and 32 at each side thereof and these are arranged in spaced relation with each other by any suitable means. The horizontal legs of the angles 32 are secured to the supporting frame 24. At one holding bar 33 which is disposed at some elevation below the top of the angle irons 31. A holding bar 34 is provided for the machine and extends laterally across the holding device and in parallel relation to the bar 33. The ends of this holding bar are secured to blocks 35 which are each provided with a slot engageable with the horizontally arranged leg of each of the angle irons 31. Arranged between the horizontally extending legs of each pair of angle irons 31 and 32 is a sprocket chain 36, each of which is mounted on suitable sprocket wheels 37 and 38. These sprocket wheels 38 are rigidly mounted upon a shaft 39, andthe sprocket wheels 37 are rigidly mounted upon a shaft 40. The shaft 39 is rotatably supported in bearings 41, and the shaft 40 is rotatably supported in bearings 42. One end of the shaft 40 preferably extends beyond the bearing 42 and is provided with screw threads for the reception of a lock nut 43. By means of this look nut, the sprocket wheels 37 and 38 may be rigidly held in their adjusted positions. Each of the blocks 35'is secured to one of the chains 36 by means of a lug 44, carried by each of the blocks 35 (see Fig. 4), whereby the holding bar 34 may be moved in parallel relation with the stationary holding bar 33. By means of the lock nut 43 the bar 34 may be held in its adjusted position. Each of the horizontal legs of the angle irons 31, with which the blocks 35 engage, is preferably provided with graduations 45, whereby the fabric being dried may be stretched to a definite length and made to dry to a size substantially the same as it was originally. Y

Arranged at the end of each holding device which is opposite the end having the stationary holding bar 33, I provide a return bar 48, preferably cylindrical in form. By means of this bar any piece of fabric which is longer than the holding device may be conveniently dried by being fastened at one end to the stationary holding bar 33 and being passed under and over the bar 48, having its other end fastened to the adjustable holding bar 34.

Each of the holding devices is provided with two longitudinally arranged holding bars 46 and 49, at one side of the device, and two longitudinally arranged holding bars 50 and 51 at the other side thereof. Each of the bars 49 and 51 is carried by three brackets 52. Each of the brackets comprises an overhanging portion 53, to which the holding bar is attached and also a lowerinwardly extending bearing portion 54. These lug portions are slidably disposed upon transverse bars 55, one arranged near each end of the machine and one arranged midway the len h of the device. The bar 46 is carried by t ree brackets 47, and the .bar 50 is carried by three brackets 56. Each of these brackets is provided with an outwardly extending arm 57, to which the holding bars are attached. The outwardly extending arm of the bracket 56 is designed to enter the recess 58 (formed in the bracket 52 by its overhanging arm 53), whereby the two adjacent holding bars 46 and 49 or 50 and 51 may be made to lie substantiaily beneath one another. Each of the brackets 56 is provided with a bearing portion 59 which is also slidably mounted upon the bar 55.-

Connecting each pair of adjacent brackets 56 and 52 are two bars 60, one arranged on each side of the bar 55 and being disposed within lugs 61 carried by each of the brackets 52 and by lugs 62 carried by each of the brackets 56. Each of these bars is slidably mounted within the lug 62 and is provided with a head 63 for limiting its movement. The opposite end of the bar is rigidly disposed within the lug 61 and secured in position by any suitable means.

A tie bar 72 is arranged at each side of the machine and it is fastened to the three brac ets,52, whereby these brackets at each side of the machine may be moved in unison. These tie bars also provide additional support for the movable holding bar 34.

A sprocket chain 64 isarranged adjacent each of the bars 55, and a sprocket chain 64 is also provided midway between them. Each of the sprocket chains 64 engages with sprocket wheels 65 and 66. The sprocket wheels 65 are rigidly mounted upon a shaft 67, and the sprocket wheels 66 are rigidly mounted upon a shaft 68. The shafts 67 and 68 are rotatably mounted in suitable bear-.

ings carried at each side of the holding device. The end of each of the shafts is preferably provided with a square-shaped portion 69, whereby it may be rotated by means of a wrench or crank handle. A set screw 70 is carried by one of the bearlngs 71 of the shaft 68,-and it serves to lock the shaft and its connected parts in position. b The brackets 47 of'the holding bar 46 are each provided with an upwardly extendm lug 74 each of which is fastened to one 0 the links of the upper pass'of one ofthe chains 64. The brackets 56 are each provided with a downwardly extending lug 75, one of each of which is attached-to the lower pass of one of the chains. By this arrange ment, when the chain is moved, the holding bars 46 and 50. will be moved toward or away from each other in unison. 4

In Figs. 6 and 7, I show an. auxiliary device which is to be used when stretching and drying fabrics which are no longer than the holding device of the machine. Thls device comprises a holding bar 78 which is provided at each end with a downwardly extending arm 79. Each of the arms is provided with a centrally arranged slot 80, whichis designed to pass over a thumb screw 81. The thumb screw is threaded into the standard 82 of the device which is at the end having the cylindrical bar 48. The holding bar 78 will be thus arranged over the cylindrical bar 48, since the bar is not used when the auxiliary deviceis used. When the auxiliary device is in place, the fabric is stretched between it and the movable holding bar d4. Obviously when the auxiliary device is employed, the longitudinal holding bars 49 and 51, only, will be used.

Each of the holding bars herein described is provided with card cloth, which, as is well known, is a fabric with a very large number ofsmall pins or fine points closely spaced and standing at a slight angle to its surface.

When my device is to be used for stretching and drying a fabric which is longer than vthe machine, one of the lateral edges of the fabric is fastened to the stationary holding bar 33. The longitudinal holding bars 46 and 50 having been moved to substantially the positions shown in Fig. 5, the longitudlnal edges of the fabric are fastened thereto. The free end .of' the fabric is now passed under the cylindrical bar 48 and brought over the top thereof. The holding bars 49 and 51 are now slid along the shafts 55 until they occupy a position substantially immediately over the bars 46 and 50. The remaining longitudinal edge of the fabric is now attached to the holding bars 49', 51,

' and its opposite lateral edge is then attached to the movablesholding bar 34. When in. this position, it will be clear that the fabric may be stretched lengthwise by moving the holding bar 34, and that it may be stretched.

sidewise by moving either of the shafts 67 or 68. It will be obvious that, since the brackets 52' of the holding bars 49 and 51 will come in contact with the brackets 47 and 1 i 56 of'the. holding bars 46 and 50, respectively, the adjacent holding bars will bevmoved simultaneously.

While a fabric article is being attached to one of the holding devices, it is obvious that the othertwo holding devices are disposed .within the chamber 10, and that articles previously attached ereto will be dried while the article is bein attached to the exposed holding device, t continuously work the machine.

. Moreover, the fabrics disposed within the machine will be dried expeditiously by thepresence of the heating coils and fan.

It is obvious that, while I have shown and described the holding devices as being attached to a rotatably mounted supporting frame disposed within a chamber, the holding devices may be utilized in any desired manner, such; for instance as being attached to the wall of a drying room or a number of them attached to a frame which may be placed into a drying room or chamber. These and other modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims;

and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to'the exact embodiment herein shown and escribed, the form describedsbeing merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what us making it possible to I a return bar adjacent the opposite end of the apparatus adapted to engage the fabric intermediate its ends, and adjustable holding bar movable between the return bar and the stationary end bar and adapted to hold the other end of the fabric, and transversely adjustable side holding bars adapted to hold the sides of the fabric between the stationary end bar and return bar and between the re turn bar and the adjustable end bar.

2. In a stretching and drying apparatus, a stationary bar at one end of the apparatus adapted to hold one end of a piece of fabric,

means for engaging the fabric, intermediateits ends to premit the fabric to be doubled upon'itself, a pluralit of transversely adjustable side holding are adapted to hold the sides of the fabric between the stationary end bar and the point at which the fabric is doubled over, a plurality of transversely adjustable side holding bars in a plane parallel with said first-mentioned side bars and adapted to hold the sides of the doubledover portion of fabric, and an adjustable end holding bar movable over said side bars and adapted to hold the free end'of the fabric.

3.' A stretching and drying apparatus coming bars, means for oppositely moving the prising a holding device, having a plurality of lower, transversely adjustable, side, holdlower side bars in unison, a plurality of upper, transversely adjustable, side, holding bars movable independently of the lower side bars, an adjustable, end, holding bar movof lower, transversely adjustable, side, holding bars, means for oppositely moving the lower side bars in unison, a'plurality of up- 15 per, transversely adjustable, side, holding bars, means connecting the upper and lower side bars, whereby the upper bars may be moved independently of or in unison with the lower side bars, an adjustable, end hold- 20 ing bar movable over the side bars, and a stationary, holding bar arranged at one end of'the apparatus.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto slgned my name.

ROBERT VALENTINE LYON. 

